There’s been a lot of talk about layoffs in Big Tech, but a vast majority of job cuts have been in product management, product development, marketing, sales, and recruiting at tech companies, included the so-called FAANG group (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google). By contrast, jobs in cybersecurity and computer science are actually holding steady within the broader tech industry.
In fact, cybersecurity layoffs have been “few and far between,” Dan Walsh, chief information security officer with VillageMD, a primary care company majority-owned by Fortune 500 company Walgreens Boots Alliance, previously told Fortune. Plus, these roles can be higher paying, especially if you earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity or a master’s degree in computer science.
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Earn a Master’s in Cybersecurity Online in Just 20 Months Visit WebsiteThe five highest-paying tech jobs in 2022—with base salaries of at least $145,000—were C-suite roles in IT management, solutions architect, principal software engineer, systems architect, and cybersecurity engineer/architect, according to a tech salary trends report from Dice, a job-search platform for tech jobs. Overall, average tech salaries increased 2.3% year-over-year in 2022 to $111,328.
“Following a year of strong salary growth for tech professionals, the continued upward trend in average tech salary shows that tech skills and the professionals that provide them can still command high compensation because of sustained demand,” according to the report.
IT management salaries
IT management salaries jumped nearly 9% to $164,814 in 2022, Dice data shows. This category includes professionals such as a CEO, chief information officer, chief technology officer, vice president, or director at a tech company.
While these positions don’t necessarily require a master’s degree to obtain, continuing education can be helpful with career development. Executive education courses can aid in developing leadership and other in-demand skills. In fact, many top business schools have been at the forefront of developing and launching executive education programs on a variety of topics like advanced management, data science, and business analytics.
“There is no question that it is becoming easier to measure everything, and to crunch enormous datasets. But in most organizations, the real limiting factor is leadership,” Richard Freishtat, vice president of curriculum at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, previously told Fortune. “Every leader must possess the ability to use, analyze, and make sense of it all.”
Computer science salaries
A solutions architect acts as a technical visionary, creating the overall plan and vision for a technical solution to challenges facing a company. Most solutions architects hold a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in computer science. They make an average salary of $155,934, according to Dice.
Principal software engineers, on the other hand, actually develop and test the software designed by the architects. These professionals typically have several years of experience under their belt, as well as a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in computer science or a related field. They typically complete certifications in programming languages and other tech skills, earning an average salary of $153,288, Dice data shows.
Systems architects focus more on configuring, operating, and maintaining computer and networking systems. They bring home salaries of $151,364, according to Dice. These workers typically need a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in computer science, IT, or computer engineering to get a job.
Cybersecurity engineer/architect salaries
Cybersecurity is a very in-demand field with more than 700,000 unfilled positions in the U.S. alone. The high demand and technical know-how required in the industry has led to high salaries for cybersecurity workers.
These jobs have average salaries of $145,512, according to Dice, but workers with a master’s degree in cybersecurity can earn well above $200,000.
“Security has always been well-paying and it really comes down to scarcity—both in the number of professionals and in the required skills,” Mike Hendrickson, Skillsoft’s vice president of tech and development, previously told Fortune. “With today’s limited pool of security professionals, organizations need to make their offers quite attractive, both in compensation and opportunities for professional development.”
Plus, cybersecurity salaries continue to grow. Between 2021 and 2022, cybersecurity salaries jumped by more than 7%, according to Dice.
Check out all of Fortune’s rankings of degree programs, and learn more about specific career paths.
